Testing My Feelings

Chapter 15

The second half started off well. I managed to block two shots.

"Nice save Andrew!" Jake called out.

"Keep holding the line. Don't let them take any more shots!" I instructed to the team.

The boys managed to hold the defensive line for most of the second half. Each attempt by our opponents to advance was halted by our defensive line. They even sent their keeper up to try and break our line. I guess they figured that the shock of the keeper leaving the net would cause us to lose focus or something and they could break through. Their risky play back fired though, and cost them another goal, leaving the score at four to zero. We were still winning.

There were only twelve minutes left in the second half. The other team got lucky and managed to break out line.

"Fall back!" I ordered.

Only Jayden and Zach were close to me. I sent everyone else further up. They were dribbling the ball down the field. They were coming right for me. Jayden and Zach moved in to try and take the ball back, but they were out maneuvered by our opponent's quick passes and good ball control. I guess the subbed some better players on as they should've been able to break our lines much sooner.

All that stood between them and the goal was me. I bent my knees and held my hands out ready to block their shot. One of their players took the shot and the ball was flying towards me.

Something from out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. It was a person in the stands, a boy. After a brief moment I realized it was Connor. He was in the same place the two of us sat for Joshua's game. I just froze up. I completely forgot that there was a ball heading my way. It went flying straight passed the side of my head. It took me a minute to realize what just happened.

I looked over at Coach Shiller and signaled him with my hands to sub out me for Lucas. A moment later, Lucas was standing at the sideline. The assistant referee used the flag to signal to the referee that we wanted to substitute. The ref signaled us that we could do the sub. I ran off the field and Lucas took my spot.

"I'm sorry about that coach." I apologized.

"Don't worry about it. You can't save them all." Coach Shiller assured me.

With that, I ran into the locker room. As I ran there, thoughts were racing through my head. What was Connor doing here? Did he come to see me? Why do I even care? What is going on?

When I got to into the locker room, I quickly swapped my uniforms. I ran over to the sink and looked in the mirror.

"What am I going to do?"

I turned the water on and splashed it on my face.

"I can't be thinking about that right now."

I looked down and shut the water off. With barely any time left in the game I sprinted back to the field.

When I got back to the bench, there were six minutes left in the second half.

"Coach, I'm subbing in for Carter." I told to Coach Shiller.

"Alright Andrew."

I walked up to the sideline and was waiting for the referee to allow me to come on.

*PHEWWW!*

The ref waved his hand motioning me to come on.

"Carter!" I called.

He came running towards me, heading off the field. We clapped hands as we passed each other.

"Alright guys! We're going on the offensive! Let's take back that goal!" I announced.

"Aye. Let's score another!" Jake chanted.

I turned and looked back at Lucas. He just shook his head as he gave me a disgusted and disappointed look. I just sighed and turned around.

"Jayden, I want you up here with Jacob and I. Center mid."

He came running up as quick as he could.

I set up a new formation for us. It was a 2-5-3 formation or maybe it's a 3-5-2 formation; I really wasn't really concerned with about what kind of formation it was. It just consisted of two forwards, five mid fielders, three defenders, and of course the goal keeper.

*PHEWW*

The game resumed with a throw in. Jayden threw the ball to me.

"Left, right, don't move up too much. Everyone else, let's get that goal!" I instructed as I dribbled the ball forward.

"Jacob!"

I passed the ball to Jacob.

"Left, right mid, move up! I'll hang back!" I ordered.

"Go! Score!" I called out to them.

In the four minutes that were now left, the team managed to score one more goal, making up for my earlier blunder.

*PHEWWWW PHEWWWWW! PHEWWWWWWWWW!*

The final whistle was blown and we managed to win with a final score of five to one.

My post game speech to the team consisted only of a "Nice job" kind of thing. I hung back on the field while everyone else started heading to the locker room. Lucas hung back too. When everyone else was gone he came up to me.

"What the hell happened out there Andrew?!" he demanded.

"I don't know."

"You looked like you saw a ghost." he told me.

"Well, in a way, I guess you can say that I did." I confessed.

"Don't let it happen again otherwise, I don't know if I'll be able to trust you with the goal again." Lucas explained to me.

"I don't think it will."

Lucas turned and walked off to the locker room himself. I guess Lucas's concerns about me being in goal were warranted after all.

I looked over to where I had seen Connor in the stands earlier. He wasn't there anymore which made me wonder if he was ever there to begin with.